Pump



PUMP

Filed March 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Enventor.

I I i I A,MBmw/a citton lcga/ A. M. BROWN Aug. 31, 1937.

PUMP

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March '7, 1934 I still Patented Aug. 31, 1937"PATENT OFFICE PUMP Aldrich M. Brown, Mobile, Ala., assignor of onethirdto Fred E. West, one-third to Louis Lerio, and one-third to Lewis Lerio,Jr., all of Mobile,

Application March '2, 1934, Serial No. 714,509'

- 14 Claims. (01.103-183) This invention relates to pumps in general,but more particularly to motor-operated water pumps, and has for one ofits objects to provide a simplified and unitary construction which 5 maybe manufactured and sold as a unit.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a pump with ableeder or unloading device so that the load on the pump at startingwill be negligible, thereby permitting the use of a 10 split-phase motorwhich has a low' starting torque but which quickly builds up to thepower of the more expensive repulsion-induction motor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which, a a

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the pump and operatingparts.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the pump.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view of a slightly modified form ofpump, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a.

further modified construction. Referring to the drawings in more detail,the numeral I indicates the tank of the pump, and is provided with adischarge pipe 2 leading to a house or other point to be supplied withwater.

' 30 An' electric motor 3 is mounted on the side of tank I and throughbelt 4 drives pulley 5 which is fixed to the operating shaft 6 of thepump.

An automatic switch I is provided in pipe 2 and serves to shut down andstart up the pump in 35 response to varying pressures in tank I.

The shaft 6 is mounted in bearings 8 which are positioned in sleeves ortubes 9 extending inwardly from diametrically opposite sides of thetank. A packing IU of leather or the like is provided for that end ofthe shaft extending through the tank wall and is tapered as'indicated bynumeral ll so as to readily press against the shaft in accordance withthe water pressure in the system. For the purpose of improving the sealbetween the packing and shaft a series of annular grooves l2 are formedin the shaft. The

outer end of packing- I0 is providedwith a flange l3 which overlaps theend of the sleeve 9 and a cap l4 serves to clamp the flange against thesleeve to provide the necessary seal. The outer end of the other sleeve'9 is closed by a plain threaded cap l provided with a sealing gasketl6. 1 I

A pair of oppositelydisposed eccentrics I1 7 55 formed on a sleeve l8are detachably fixed to the shaft 6 as by means of a screw or the likel9, and function to alternately reciprocate the pump rods 26 which areprovided with the eccentric straps 2i. Rigidly connected to the lowerends of the rods 26 are the pistons comprising the annular washers 22secured between the two metal clamping members 23 and 24.

The pistons 22 operate in a pair of cylinders 25 bored out of a solidblock and seated on theupper end of a casing 26 and against the loweropen end of the tank l. The casing 26 is removably secured in positionby nuts 21 which are threaded onto bolts 28 extending through openingsin lugs 29 on the lower end of the casing.

The pistons 22 are provided with passageways 36 which are closed on the.upstroke by springpressed valves 3|. Also, the lower ends of the 6cylinders 25 are provided with apertures 32 for the entrance of waterinto the cylinders on the upstroke of the pistons, and withspring-pressed valves 33 to close these apertures on the downstroke ofthe pistons. A gravity valve 34 is provided for closing the entrance tocasing 26 when the pump is shut down.

The casing 26 and cylinder block 25 provide an annular compartment whichconstitutes both a vacuum and a pressure chamber for the pump, and inorder to equalize the pressure between tank I and casing 26 after thepump ceases operation a bleeder or by-pass is provided. This elevment isindicated in the pump shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 by the numeral 35,and consists of a passage of rather small diameter bored verticallythrough the cylinder block and providing limited communication betweenthe tank I and casing 26. By this construction the pressures in the tankand the casing become equalized after the pump stops and thus the loadon the pump is removed thereby permitting the pump to be restarted by amotor having an initial low torque, such as a split-phase motor. Ascreen 36 is pref erably installed at the upper end of the passage 35 toavoid clogging. v

The lower end of the casing 26 is'provided with an entrance conduit 31threaded at its lower end and adapted to be screwed onto the upper endof a. well pipe or into an opening 38 formed in a stand or base member39. This member is also provided with a lateral opening 40 in which maybe threaded a pipe section 4| leading to the well, and a verticalopening 42 adapted to receive the upper end of the well pipe dependingupon the particular condition encountered in installing the pump.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 4 the pump' isessentially the same as that just described except that the by-pass orbleeder 35 is omitted, and means are provided for temporarily permittinga free circulating of liquid through the pump. In this construction acylinder 52 is connected across the inlet and outlet pipes 50 and 5|,respectively, and in it is mounted a piston 53 provided with a centralaperture 54 of small bore establishing limited communication between theupper and lower ends of the cylinder and likewise between the high andlow pressure sides of the pump. A comparatively weak spring serves tonormally hold the piston at the upper end of cylinder 52, and when the'15 pump is set in operation it withdraws water from the under side ofthe piston and transfers water from the tank I to the upper side ofthe-piston thereby causing the piston to descend until it reaches thestops 55'provided on the interior of 20 the cylinder adjacent its lowerend. This moveiment of the piston at the initiation of. the pumppperation provides for the transfer of a predetermined volume of water.without difference in pressure, from one side of the pump to the other,25 thereby avoiding the placing of a load on the pump until the motorhas had sufficient time to reach its maximum power. The opening 54'permits a limited communication between the two .sides of the pump atall times, and when the tank or chamber 60 provided with a horizontalpartition SI and connected to the high and low pressure sides of thepump by pipes 62 and 63, 40 respectively. The partition is provided withan iopening 64 controlled by a spring-pressed valve 65, and a smalleropening 65 at one side of opening 64. The valve 65 is normally held openby its spring to permit the desired communication be- 5 tween the twosides of the pump, but is gradually closed by the force of the liquidflowing around it ,as the speed of the motor increases. A small dash pct65' may be associated with the valve 55 to delay the closing of thevalve; if desired. The 5 smaller opening 66 of course permits arestricted flow of fluid during the entire period of operation of thepump, andafter the pump is shut down this smaller passage permitssufliclent communication to equalize the pressures on both sides 55 ofthe pump and thus allows the valve 55 to re turn to its normal or openposition.

In the operation of each of the three forms of the invention the by-passor bleeder provides the necessary means to equalize the pressures on the60 two sides of the pump immediately after the pump shuts down. In theform shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 this equalization is performed by theliquid in the tank I being forced through passage 35 and compressing theair in the combined 65 vacuum-pressure chamber 2 6. When the motor 3 isagain started the compressed air in chamber 26 will force the waterupwardly in cylinders 25 as the piston reciprocates thereby postponingthe placing of a load on the pump until the power of the motor hasreached its maximum.

This same result is accomplished in the construction of Figure 4 in thatthe piston 53 is forced downwardly, thereby allowing for the desiredtransfer of water to the pressure side of 75 the pump without placing aload on the pump From the foregoing description and the accom panyingdrawings it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I havedevised an exceedingly simple and inexpensive motor-operated pump; thatthe pump is so designed as to permit of the use of the relatively lowpriced split-phase type of motor; that only few moving parts areemployed; that by reason of the mounting of the operating shaft in thetank itself the advantages of a reciprocating pump are obtained withoutthe attendant disadvantage of frequent leaks due to the difliculty ofproperly packing reciprocating rods; that the device is of unitary andcompact formation such as will permit'of its'being sold as a unit; andthat it mayin many cases be installed by merely threading the same as aunit on the upper end of a well pipe.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what Inowbelieve to be the preferred form of construction as well as twomodifications thereof, but it is to be understood that various changesmay be made in minor phases of the device without departing from, thespirit of the invention and all such changes are intended to be.

included within the scope of the appended claims.

- What I claim is:

1. A water pumping system including, a tank, a pump connected with anddelivering into the tank, a combined pressure 'and vacuum chamber on thelow pressure side of the pump, and means for establishing a restrictedcommunication between the high and low pressure sides of the pump at alltimes said means adapted to extend below the surface of the liquid inthe chamber.

2. A water pumping system including, a tank,- a pump connected with anddelivering into the tank, a combined pressure and vacuum chamber on thelow pressure side of the pump, and a passageway of relatively smallcapacity permitting communication between the high and low pressuresides of the pump at all times said passageway adapted to extend belowthe surface of the liquid in the chamber.

3. A water pumping systemincluding, a tank, a pump connected 'with anddelivering into the tank, a combined pressure and vacuum chamber on thelow pressure side of the pump and a passageway of relatively small boreextending through a wall of said chamber to permitcontinuouscommunication between thehigh and low pressure sides of thepump said passageway adapted to extend below the surface of the liquidin the chamber.

4. A water system including a storage tank, one or more pump cylinderscommunicating with the tank, valved pistons for said cylinders, acombined pressure andvacuum chamber surrounding the cylinders and incommunication therewith, and means for establishing continuouscommunication between the tank and chamber around the pump.

5. In combination a vertically disposed tank, a pair of pump cylinderscommunicating with the lower end of the tank, pump pistons in saidcylinders, means for operating the pistons. a

chamber surrounding the cylinders .and in communication therewith, awall of one of said cylinders provided with a vertical pasage permittingcommunication between the tank and chamber at all times.

6. In a pumping system, a pump, inlet and outlet pipes associated withthe pump, a cylinder and piston connected across said pipes, and meansfor maintaining the piston toward the high pressure side of the pumpwhen the latter is shut down and allowing it to move toward the lowpressure side when the pump begins its operations,

'7. In a pumping system, a pump, inlet and outlet pipes associated withthe pump, a cylinder and piston connected across said pipes, and aspring for maintaining the piston toward thehigh pressure side of thepump when the latter is shut down and allowing it to move toward the lowpressure side when the pump begins its operations.

8. In a pumping system, a pump, inlet and outlet pipes associated withthe pump, a cylinder and piston connected across said pipes, the sidesor the piston being exposed to the high and low pressure sides of thesystem said piston provided with a passageway constituting a bleederbetween the high and low pressure sides of the pump, and means formaintaining the piston toward the high pressure side of the pump whenthe latter is shut down.

'9. In combination, a motor-operated pump, 0 inlet and outlet pipesassociated with the pump, a by-pass connected across said .pipes, avalve in said by-pass adapted to be closed by a predetermin'ed velocityof fluid, and a bleeder passage at one side of said valve.

10. In combination, a motor-operated pump, inlet and outlet pipesassociated with the pump, a by-pass connected across said pipes, a valvechamber in said by-pass, an apertured partition in said chamber, a valvefor closing said aperture 0 and exposed to the high and low pressuresides 01! the system, and a spring normally biasing said valve to openposition.

11. In combination, a motor-operated pump,

inlet and outlet pipes associated with the pump,

a by-pass connected across said pipes, a valve chamberin said by-pass,an apertured partition in said chamber, said partition provided with ableeder passage, a valve for closing the aperture in said partition andexposed to the high and low pressure sides of the system, and a springnormallybiasing the valve to open position.

12. A pumping system including a storage tank, a shaft extending intothe tank, a pump rod and piston operated by the shaft, a pump cylindercommunicating with the lower end of the tank and in which said piston ismounted, an openended casing secured to the lower end of the tank andsurrounding said cylinder and in com munication therewith to provide acombined pressure and vacuum chamber, and a check valve for the lowerend of the casing, said storage tank having a capacity substantiallygreater than that of the casing.

13. A pumpingsystem including a storage tank, a shaft extending into thetank, a pump rod and piston operated by the shaft, a pump cylindercommunicating with the lower end of the tank and in which .said pistonis mounted, an openended casing surrounding said cylinder and incommunication therewith and bolts extending from the bottom of the tankand attached to the lower end of the casing, said storage tank having acapacity substantially greater than that of the casing.

ALDRICH M. BROWN;

